Apparatus for switching from lean gas to rich gas burning in a coke oven battery

ABSTRACT

A main drive shaft is provided with a plurality of sleeves, some of which are provided with arms for operating the rods for the lean gas, air lid, and waste heat valves of the coke oven battery. Other sleeves are linked to a fluid-actuated cylinderpiston assembly that moves the other sleeves into coaction with the first sleeves, and thereby interlock them and prevent inadvertent actuation of the valves.

United States Patent Inventor Linwood G. Tucker' Pittsburgh, Pa.

Appl. No. 21,434

Filed Mar. 20, 1970 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 Assignee Koppers Company, Inc.

APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING FROM LEAN GAS TO RICH GAS BURNING IN A COKE OVEN BATTERY 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 137/309, l37/637.l,202/l43 Int.Cl ..F16k 11/00, ClOf 1/05 Field of Search 137/637.1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,949 8/1933 Herrmann 137/309 2,102,608 12/1937 Becker 202/143 3,433,716 3/1969 Tucker 137/309X Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Au0rneysSherman H. Barber, Oscar B. Brumback and Olin E. Williams ABSTRACT: A main drive shaft is provided with a plurality of sleeves, some of which are provided with arms for operating the rods for the lean gas, air lid, and waste heat valves of the coke oven battery. Other sleeves are linked to a fluid-actuated cylinder-piston assembly that moves the other sleeves into coaction with the first sleeves, and thereby interlock them and prevent inadvertent actuation of the valves.

PATENTEU B5628 1971 SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. I

. INVENTOR. Y z/lwvaao a. rum 2 flier/lag APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING FROM LEAN GAS TO RICH GAS BURNING IN A COKE OVEN BATTERY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to coke ovens, and more particularly, to apparatus for switching from burning lean gas to burning rich gas in a coke oven battery.

In the operation of a conventional horizontal coke oven battery, it is customary to burn gaseous fuel in one heating flue of a pair of flues during the on-cycle," and direct the hot gases of combustion into the other flue during its off-cycle." Periodically, say every half hour, the burning of fuel in the on-flues ceases and these flues become the off-flues, while the original off-flues" become on-flues as gaseous fuel is burned in them.

The change over from on-flues" to off-flues is carried out by a reversing mechanism that is connected to valves in the basement region of the coke oven battery. Reversingmay be done either manually or by electromechanical means, or by hydromechanical means, or by a mechanical means associated with a timer mechanism set to induce reversal at a prescribed time interval. It is customary to provide mechanical or electromechanical interlocks in the reversing system to insure that the proper sequence of operations is carried out.

The sequential burning of gas fuel in high and low burners in the heating wall flues of the coke oven battery presents problems in the proper control of the flow of air, waste heat, fuel gas, and decarbonizing air to the coke oven battery flues. In a horizontal coke oven battery, wherein the direction of the flow of air and waste gas is periodically reversed, additional control problems are encountered in a proper sequential operation of the valves controlling the flow of gas and decarbonizing air to the burners.

The control of the flow of fuel gas and the flow of decarbonizing air to the high and lower burners in two groups of flame flues, and the flow of combustion air and waste heat to the same two groups of flame flues increases the number of sequential steps in the operation of a coke oven battery. The

steps must be timed to occur in a predetermined sequence and all of the control components in such an operation must be controlled and interlocked to prevent an inadvertent mixture of gas and fuel in a coke oven chamber that could result in an explosion.

Due to the fluctuating gas load requirements and the need to save manpower, it is becoming desirable to include a system in the operation of a coke oven battery that automatically changes from coke oven gas-heating to rich gas-heating and vice versa and that can be manipulated from a central control room.

The following describes a novel apparatus for automatically changing from lean gas to rich gas in the operation of a coke oven battery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention includes a main drive shaft arranged for rotation about an axis and a plurality of first sleeves are mounted to the shaft for rotation with the shaft. These first sleeves are connected to the lean gas, air, and waste heat valves in a coke oven battery for actuation of these valves. A plurality of second sleeves are slidably mounted to the shaft and are engageable both with the first sleeves and with a fixed member to prevent the rotation of the shaft and the actuation of the valves except in proper sequential order. Means is provided to slide the second sleeves on the shaft to engage and to disengage from the first sleeves.

A second shaft mounted adjacent the air valves carries an air that supports a frame with fingers or transversely extending bars. The frame is cooperative with the air valve to restrict the airflow opening in the valve, and means is provided for pivoting the frame and fingers into a position for restricting airflow in the valve and into another position for allowing air to flow through the valve.

For a further understanding of the invention and for advantages and features thereof, reference may be made to the following description in conjunction with the drawing which shows, for the purpose of exemplification, one embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings:

FIG. I is a schematic plan view of a portion of apparatus in accordance with the invention for operating and interlocking the lean gas valves and air lids of a coke oven battery;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of mechanism for locking the rich gas valves in closed position as the reversing machine goes into neutral position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of apparatus for clamping the air lids on the lean gas boxes;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view along line IV-IV of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic arrangement of mechanism for moving a frame with finger bars into and out of position in the boxes for the lean gas regenerators.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, a main drive shaft 11 is suitably mounted to the structure of a coke oven battery and a arm 13 in fixed to the shaft at one location. The arm I3 is pivotally connected to a rod 15 that extends away from the drive shaft 11, and that carriers suitable connectors 17 cooperating with operating levers (not shown) mounted to the waste heat valves and the air lids 19 for the regenerators. Each time the heating cycle of the coke oven battery is reversed, when the reversing mechanism is actuated, the shaft 11 and the arm 13 rotate to actuate the waste heat valves and the air lids 19 for the regenerators.

Also mounted on the drive shaft 11 is an arm 21 that is pivotally connected to a rod 23 extending away from the drive shaft II, and that carries the suitable connectors 17. The connectors l7 coact with operating levers (not shown) for the air lids 25 on the lean gas boxes. The arm 21 is fixed integrally to a sleeve 27 that is provided with opposed pairs of slots 29, 30 disposed about as shown in FIG. I.

Another arm 31 is fixed to a sleeve 33 that is located on the drive shaft 11 and the arm 31 is pivotally connected to a rod 35 that carries connectors 17. These connectors 17 coact with operating levers (not shown) for the lead gas valves 37 on the lean gas boxes. The sleeve 33 is constructed like the sleeve 27, having opposed pairs of slots 39, 40 as shown.

The drive shaft 11 also carries, at a location between arm 13 and sleeve 27, another sleeve 41 that is slidable on the shaft 1] and that is provided with a pair of opposed tongues 43; each tongue supporting a roller 45. The sleeve 41 is pivotally carried by a yoke 47 that is pivotally secured to a fixed abutment 49, and that is pivotally connected to an actuating rod 51. The rod 51 is also pivotally connected to an actuating cylinderpiston assembly 53 mounted to structure of the coke over battery, as at 55.

The rollers 45 are so sized that they enter and fill the slot 29 when the sleeve 41 is moved laterally in the manner described hereinafter. The sleeve 41 also carries an outwardly extending arm 57 that supports a roller 59 at the outer end portion. The roller 59 contacts and cooperates with a fixed portion of the coke oven battery structure 55, as shown.

The shaft 11 also carries another sleeve 61, located between the sleeves 27 and 33, and the sleeve 61 has pairs of opposed tongues 43 and rollers 45 that coact with and fill the slots 30 and 39, in the manner described hereinafter. The sleeve 61 is splined onto the shaft 111, as at 62, and is provided with a rotatable collar 63 that is situated in a groove 65 in the sleeve 61, and the collar 63 is pivotally connected to a yoke 67 that is similar to the yoke 47. The yoke 67 is also pivotally connected to the actuating rod 51 and to the abutment 49, as shown.

The drive shaft 11 also carries another sleeve 69, having tongues43 and rollers 45, that is pivotally connected to a yoke 71 that is pivotally connected to the abutment 49 and to the actuating rod 51. The sleeve 69, like the sleeve 41, is provided with an outwardly extending arm 57 and roller 59 that coacts with the coke oven battery structure 55.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically apparatus like that of FIG. 1, for operating the rich gas valves. A drive shaft 73 is rotatable and it carries a sleeve 75 having opposite pairs of grooves 77, 79 and having an arm 81 that is pivotally connected to rod 83 for actuating the rich gas valves 85.

The shaft 73 carries a sleeve 87 that is substantially like the sleeve 41; it having an arm 89 and roller 91 and a pair of outwardly extending tongues 93 that carry rollers 95. Also, the shaft 73 carries a sleeve 97, having a collar 98 like the collar 63, that is slidable on the shaft, but that is splined to the shaft, as at '99, so that the sleeve 97 rotates with the shaft 73 and is slidable thereon. The sleeve 87 and collar 98 are each pinconnected to yokes 101, 103 that are connected to abutments 49 and to an actuating rod 105 which is connected to a cylinder-piston assembly 107. The cylinder-piston assembly is pivotally connected to the coke oven battery structure 55.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a mechanism for clamping shut the air lids on the lean gas boxes, which prevents any lean gas from leaking to the atmosphere in the event that an air lid does not seat; special precautions are necessary to insure that the air lids are tightly seated before the lean gas valves open.

The mechanism of FIG. 3 and 4.includes a torsion bar 109, journaled in bearings 111 that are mounted to suitable structure 113 of the coke oven battery. An arcuate clamping arm 115 is fixed to the torsion bar 109 about where shown. The torsion bar 109 carries at one end sprocket wheels 117, 119 around which chains 121 and 123 are partially wrapped. The chain 121is anchored at a point 125 on the sprocket 117, and the chain 123 is anchored at a point 127 on the sprocket 117, and the chain 123 is anchored at a point 127 on the sprocket 119. The other ends of the chains 121, 123 are secured to actuating cylinder-pistons 124 mounted to the coke oven battery fixed structure 55, as shown.

The clamping arm 115 carries at its outer end a roller 129 that is journaled on shaft 131. The roller 129 coacts with a lever arm 133 that is pivotally connected to an air box lid 135 on a lean gas box 137. A microswitch 139 is suitably mounted so that it coacts with the lever arm 133 to signal when the lid 135 is in a proper closed position.

It is recognized that, when rich gas is being burned, finger bars or the like are usually placed in the air boxes in order to obtain the desired flue pressure and a desired percentage of excess air. Likewise, it is customary to remove the finger bars from the air boxes when lean gas is burned. This is accomplished automatically by the mechanism of the present invention, shown in FIG. 5, when the reversing machine operates the several rods connected to the several valves mentioned herein.

Such mechanism includes a shaft 141 that is journaled suitably adjacent an air box 143 and that carries a lever arm 145 having a finger bar frame 147. The lever arm 145 is pivotally connected adjacent one end to the finger bar frame 147, and has a counterweight 149 adjustably mounted near the other end.

The shaft 141 also carries fixedly a crank 151 having a pin 153 that coacts in a slot 155 in an actuating rod 157. The rod 157 is pin-connected to one of a pair of sprockets 159 journaled to a shaft 161. The sprockets 159 coact with lengths of chain 163, 165 that are secured respectively to anchors 167, 169 as shown.

The operation of the apparatus may be described by considering FIG. 1 which shows the apparatus in position for burning rich gas. In this position, the arm 31 is secured in the neutral position with all of the lean gas valves in the closed position. It should be noted that the arm 21 and rod 23 for operating the air lids on the lean gas boxes are connected to the main reversing shaft 11 by means of the slidable jaw-type clutch comprised of the coactive slots and rollers so that the air lids on the lean gas boxes are actuated each time the reversing mechanism is moved.

The reversing mechanism can be shifted to burn lean gas by extending the hydraulic reversing cylinder 53 after the main shaft 11 by extending the hydraulic reversing cylinder 53 after the main shaft 11 has been moved to the neutral position. The mechanism would be interlocked automatically so that after the main shaft reaches the neutral position this shaft would be stopped and held in this neutral position to allow the hydraulic cylinder 53 to be extended. As the hydraulic cylinder 53 extends, it performs these functions: (1) it disengages the arm for theair lids on the lean gas boxes from the rotating shaft and anchors it in a fixed neutral position with these air lids in the closed position; and (2) it releases the engagement of the arm to the lean gas valves from the fixed neutral position and engages this arm to the main shaft 11.

After the hydraulic cylinder has completed its stroke, the reversing machine can then restart and move the main shaft from its neutral position to its final resting position for burning lean gas. When the next reverse is due, however, the main shaft would be reversed through its full stroke with the hydraulic cylinder remaining in its extended position for burning lean gas in the companion set of flues.

The microswitches mentioned previously herein, there being one for each lid on the air boxes, are all connected in se- I ries electrically so that should any one lid fail to seat properly, the reversing mechanism would be interlocked electrically to prevent further movement of the reversing machine until the one lid is seated properly.

After the air box lids are seated they are clamped in the closed position by means of the clamps shown in FIG. 4. It should be noted, that the main drive shaft is also interlocked to the clamping mechanism so that the main shaft cannot be actuated to open the lean gas valves until the companion air lids on the lean gas boxes are clamped closed.

When the battery is reversed form rich gas to lean gas, it is necessary to shut off the flow of rich gas so that the combustion system is not flooded with coke oven gas and lean gas. One method to accomplish this is to manually close the shutoff valve to each heating wall when it is in the off position" before the reversing machine moves into the position for lean gas heating. After the reversing machine moves into theposition for burning lean gas, the remaining rich gas valves to the introduced through the lean gas system. If it is desired to burn a low value B.t.u. gas in the rich gas system to supplement the fuel input, then it would be necessary to change the gas flow to the rich gas system and to reopen all of the heating walls shutoff valves.

- Another method would be to reset the control valves for introducing a mixture of lean gas and rich gas into the rich gas system. These valves would be reset while the machine is in neutral in order not to disturb the heating for both burning periods. This would be done by opening an enriching gasline, closing the main rich gas valve, and opening a lean gaslike for dilution. These valves would be interlocked so that the reversing machine would not complete its cycle unless all the valves are in their desired position. Handling the gas in this manner would permit the operator to control the flow of heat units to the rich gas system for a neutral control station. Naturally, this system would permit the operator to add the desired units of sweetening" gas with ballast gas to the rich gas system without disturbing the position of the shutoff valves to each heating wall.

Another method for controlling the gas flow in the rich gas system when burning lean gas, is to have a mechanism for blocking the rich gas-reversing valves in the closed position as the reversing machine goes to its neutral position. This would be accomplished by having a power cylinder to engage or disengage ajaw-type clutch to either block the rich gas-reversing rods in the neutral closed position or to allow the rich gas rods to be actuated in the normal manner.

Those skilled in the art will recognize from the foregoing description several significant features and advantages of the invention among which are:

That with this type of mechanism it is possible for the man in charge of the heating to change the battery-heating from rich gas to lean gas from a central control station without requiring additional labor.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for actuating lean gas, air, and waste heat valves of a coke oven battery for switching from burning lean gas to burning rich gas in the flues of said battery, comprising:

a. a main drive shaft arranged for rotation about an axis;

b. a plurality of first sleeves mounted to said shaft for rotation with said shaft, said sleeves having means connecting to said valves for actuation thereof;

c. a plurality of second sleeves slidably mounted to said shaft that are engageable with said first sleeves and with a fixed member to prevent the rotation of said shaft and the actuation of said valves;

d. means to slide said second sleeves on said shaft;

e. a second shaft mounted adjacent said air valves and carrying an arm that supports a frame with fingers, said frame being cooperative with said air valve to restrict an airflow opening in said valve;

f. an operating rod connected to said frame; and

g. means for actuating said operating rod to move said frame into position for restricting airflow when said main drive shaft is in position for restricting airflow when said main drive shaft is in position for burning rich gas in the flues of said coke oven battery.

2. The invention ofclaim 1 including:

a. mechanism for clamping said air valves in the closed position which is operated in coordination with the rotation of said main drive shaft, said mechanism comprising a shaft journaled for rotation by a sprocket and chain coacting with said sprocket, and an arm secured to said shaft that coacts with said air valves.

3. The invention ofclaim 1 wherein:

a. said first sleeves have grooves therein; and

b. said second sleeves have tongues that coact with said grooves to interconnect said first and second sleeves.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

a. said second sleeves are pin-connected to a yoke that is pivotally connected to a fixed abutment and to an operating like; and

b. a fluid-actuated cylinder-piston assembly connected to said link for moving said link and sliding said second sleeves on said shaft.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

a. said means for actuating said operating rod includes a sprocket to which said rod is connected and a chain coacting with said sprocket and with said main drive shaft. 

1. Apparatus for actuating lean gas, air, and waste heat valves of a coke oven battery for switching from burning lean gas to burning rich gas in the flues of said battery, comprising: a. a main drive shaft arranged for rotation about an axis; b. a plurality of first sleeves mounted to said shaft for rotation with said shaft, said sleeves having means connecting to said valves for actuation thereof; c. a plurality of second sleeves slidably mounted to said shaft that are engageable with said first sleeves and with a fixed member to prevent the rotation of said shaft and the actuation of said valves; d. means to slide said second sleeves on said shaft; e. a second shaft mounted adjacent said air valves and carrying an arm that supports a frame with fingers, said frame being cooperative with said air valve to restrict an airflow opening in said valve; f. an operating rod connected to said frame; and g. means for actuating said operating rod to move said frame into position for restricting airflow when said main drive shaft is in position for burning rich gas in the flues of said coke oven battery.
 2. The invention of claim 1 including: a. mechanism for clamping said air valves in the closed position which is operated in coordination with the rotation of said main drive shaft, said mechanism comprising a shaft journaled for rotation by a sprocket and chain coacting with said sprocket, and an arm secured to said shaft that coacts with said air valves.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein: a. said first sleeves have grooves therein; and b. said second sleeves have tongues that coact with said grooves to interconnect said first and second sleeves.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein: a. said second sleeves are pin-connected to a yoke that is pivotally connected to a fixed abutment and to an operating like; and b. a fluid-actuated cylinder-piston assembly connected to said link for moving said link and sliding said second sleeves on said shaft.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein: a. said means for actuating said operating rod includes a sprocket to which said rod is connected and a chain coacting with said sprocket and with said main drive shaft. 